This article is focused on the following UN Sustainable Development Goal:
“More than 9 million children faced hunger in 2021. That's 1 in 8 kids at risk for hunger” (Feeding America). Child hunger in America is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. As stated in the statistic above, over 9 million children had little to no food in 2021. No child should be left unattended to, and yet there is such a drastic abundance of cases of child hunger in America. Many people forget that this is an issue that exists in our world, but it needs to be thought about and taken into consideration. None of the children should be forgotten, or left to go hungry. This article serves the purpose of providing information on child hunger in America, and giving ways that anyone can help.
What is child hunger? Child hunger is the phenomenon in which children are unable to receive as much food as their bodies need to be healthy and active. Though the majority of households with children are food secure, there are still plenty of homes that are facing food insecurity. Since there is more than enough food in the world, and plenty of different plants that can be grown, this phenomenon should not have the chance to exist. Though, due to the fact that we live in a world that revolves around money, we are unable to live in such a way. Due to this fact, low income families are the most at risk for child hunger. According to No Kid Hungry, “In 2021, the federal poverty level was $26,500 for a family of four. Of course, this number is a minimum. Families making twice that much are still considered low-income by most experts, and many struggle to make ends meet”(No Kid Hungry). It explains how much money is needed to just barely sustain a family of four people, though many families may have more than this amount and still have the same amount of money available. This would lead to high levels of food insecurity in their family, and no clear way to fix it.
There are many people that are repulsed by the phenomenon of child hunger in America. Elizabeth Hurley, an English actress and model once said, “It's appalling that there should be hunger anywhere, but particularly in a country like America, where there is also such great wealth”(Hurley). This quote shows her disgust towards the situation of child hunger in America. She says that since there is so much wealth in the county, there should be no cases of hunger for anyone in America. Yet, this still seems to happen more than it should. Another person that has talked about this topic is Scarlett Johansson, a very famous actress in Hollywood that has starred in many popular films such as Lucy or Black Widow. She said, “My family grew up relying on public assistance to help provide meals for our family. Child hunger in America is a real and often overlooked problem, but one that together, we can fix”(Johanssen). She explains her experience with the situation and illustrates the fact that it is something that can be fixed if everyone comes together to fight for this change.
Now, with this knowledge, what can be done? There are many different charities available to donate food and money to, and they would be able to supply children with food. Each charity can suit different needs and cover different parts of the United States. Though, there are other ways to help. Food banks are viable options as well. Food banks are places that collect food from donors and give it to people in need of food. Another way to help is by starting a fundraiser. Anyone of any race, gender, or status can start up a fundraiser for any social injustice around the world. This is something that money can be raised for. With money from that fundraiser food can be bought for children that are in a state of food insecurity. This method would also help raise awareness of the issue and let people know that they are able to make a difference as well.
Child hunger in America is very prominent and worrying, but it is something that can be fixed if everyone comes together in a joint effort to make it end. It is something that should truly be fought for since it affects so many children. No one know how long this effort could take, but that should not put the community off from working towards ending it. No child should be denied a regular life, or kept away from living a long and fulfilling life. There are many ways to help out, and no one should feel that their contribution is not enough to make a difference. A collection of pushes will eventually be able to move this mountain of child hunger in America out of our world. No matter how long it takes, or how hard it may be, this should not be something that is dropped or given up.
Remember, change starts with you.
“Child Hunger in America.” Feeding America, https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/child-hunger-facts#:~:text=More%20than%209%20million%20children,because%20of%20systemic%20racial%20injustice.
“Child Hunger in America Statistics & Facts.” No Kid Hungry, https://www.nokidhungry.org/who-we-are/hunger-facts.
“Top 20 Hunger in America Quotes: A-Z Quotes.” A, https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/hunger-in-america.html?adlt=strict&toWww=1&redig=0817EB110A0844D5A58A03131A146747.
Hales, Laura, and Alisha Coleman-Jensen. “Food Insecurity for Households with Children Rose in 2020, Disrupting Decade-Long Decline.” USDA ERS - Child Food Insecurity, https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2022/february/food-insecurity-for-households-with-children-rose-in-2020-disrupting-decade-long-decline/.
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